Whitehall considers expanding its Industrial and Commercial Development Authority

Adding two additional members to the Whitehall Township Industrial and Commercial Development Authority may not sound like a particularly big number, but according to one township commissioner who will cast a vote on it, the number isn't the point.

"What I am asking for is accountability," said Secretary Paul Geissinger during the Board of Commisssioners' Workshop meeting Monday night when the subject of increasing the number of members from seven to nine was discussed. A good place to start, in his estimation, would be having the Authority provide commissioners with their quarterly meeting minutes, something that isn't happening now according to Geissinger, who noted several times during the meeting that he's in the dark as to what the Authority is actually doing.

"What is going to prove to me" that the board should be expanded from seven to nine members, asked Geissinger, without being privy to what information is transpiring there.

For his part, Township Mayor Ed Hozza, Jr. said that the body's "progress is incredible."

The request for two additional members was made to accompany the increased amount of activity the Authority is undertaking. Commissioners will vote on the additional appointments at their regular meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 8th.

In other business discussed Monday night, an ordinance waiving the required installation of sidewalks along 5553 and 5549 Hillside Avenue and along a 158-foot section of Eighth Street were moved onto the regular board meeting agenda.

In addition, a resolution authorizing Hozza to submit a grant application to Lehigh County for securing community development block grant funds for street recontruction projects was also on Monday night's agenda. The location of the projects has yet to be determined at this stage.

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